A Different Kind of Prophecy
by mslupin21
Summary: What if the Harry Potter books were written as a kind of prophecy? One that someone from the Light could use but only if they had the help of a muggle. Jo is a muggle trekking through the Scottish Highlands when she encounters two characters from books she read as a child. This story will be a slow burn with eventual OC/SS. An AU fic that will deviate greatly from the books.
1. Chapter 1

Jo took a deep breath and clutched the straps of her pack as she looked up the trail leading to the summit. She had always loved hiking, and when she saw a discounted flight alert pop into her email for Scottland, she knew that the Highlands would be a key destination. She was from Colorado and was equipped to handle the altitude easily. She was grateful for it, too, because it allowed her to cover more ground and fully experience the lochs, glens, and mountains.

She sipped from her water bottle and began trekking up the mountain once more. Her ears caught the sound of a twig snapping, and her gaze fell upon a red deer only yards away. A smile formed on her lips and she whispered to the animal that everything was okay and cautiously took a few more steps so as not to startle it further. She needed this, she thought to herself. It had been a tough few years whenever she felt that she had caught a break something else would come along to try and trip her up. She had made it through leaving an abusive relationship, the loss of her grandmother who raised her and braved cancer. She was not unscathed by any means. Each tribulation left a scar, some visible, others less so. This trip was her way of coming to terms with the surgery that saved her life but stole any chance of having a child.

Her hands barely glanced the birch trees as she walked on the path as her heart began to ache thinking about it. She scolded herself. It wasn't as if she had a partner and they were planning on raising children. She never gave them much thought until she knew she wouldn't be able to have any. The only thing she had really looked forward to in an esoteric way was reading the Harry Potter books to them. Subconsciously she knew that was why she jumped at the chance to visit Scotland. Of course, she loved the outdoors, and backpacking, and traveling, and experiencing new culture-but those books were something reassuring and steadfast in her childhood and something she always went back to in adulthood when she was down or needed comfort. She knew those books cover to cover and it felt like visiting old friends. Traveling to the land where they took place, seemed magical.

The dirt crunched beneath her feet. She was steps from the top now. The anticipation of the vista was growing. Typically she always followed proper signage about following designated paths, but when it forked back a few days ago on her journey, she felt the inexplicable desire to take the track that looked like a deer trail littered with spear thistle. Her grandmother would have chided her for losing her head, but something was calling her that way, and she had no place to be and no real itinerary, so she took the path of most resistance. She hoped her choice paid off.

Four steps at most. Three. The horizon was now visible. Two. Her heart was thumping from the exertion and excitement. One. She saw something that looked like giant children's bubble wands in the distance sticking straight up from the ground. What the heck?

POP. POP.

Her gaze left the odd sight as she spun to try and find the source of the noise. Fear and confusion swept her as she tried to process what she was seeing. There were two men just feet away from her. One was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver in his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He wore vibrant purple robes that stopped at his ankles which revealed bright, black, buckled boots. His face was lined, but his eyes were a bright, twinkling blue that peered at her curiously over half-moon glasses.

The other was also tall and thin, but that was where the similarities ended. He had sallow skin, a large hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair that framed his face. His eyes were cold and black, matching his billowing robes. He held a stick and was pointing it directly at Jo ominously.

Jo had neither flight nor fight instinct. If she thought about it, she would liken her response to a terrified rabbit who just sits very still hoping that it wasn't seen despite all evidence to the contrary.

"Ah, Severus. You appear to be frightening the woman. Lower your wand. She means us no harm." He said the words gently, but there was no mistaking that it was a command. Severus begrudgingly lowered the wand.

Jo's mind was racing. Two men appeared with a pop out of nowhere, wearing robes, holding wands, and one was named Severus. She still was frozen to the spot, not daring to move. Was this real?

"My dear," the older wizard looked at her kindly and took a step towards her. "I must ask how you managed to come all this way. Did you not notice the trespassing signs or have any desire to turn about when faced with obstacles along the path? Perhaps you remembered things you had forgotten to do that needed to be seen to?"

Suddenly, Jo felt that she could move again. She wet her lips and swallowed. He mouth was parched as she tried to speak.

"I just enjoy hiking." She managed feebly. He nodded for her to continue. "I didn't see a sign explicitly telling me I was trespassing. I did ignore some a ways back advising me to stay on the trail. I don't know. Something just urged me to come this way, I suppose. I didn't mean any trouble by it, I swear."

"Headmaster, really, I have things to do. Can't we just perform the charm and go?" Severus caustically provided this question without looking at his target as his eyes remained fixed on her. The question broke her out of her reverie. Charm. It must be. However, unlikely, it must be. Her heart pounded.

"Please don't." She pleaded. "Please, I think I know who you are and if I'm right, I don't want to forget."

"And who do you think we are, Miss..." The Headmaster's voice trailed expectantly.

"My name is Jo Harper, and I think that you are Albus Dumbledore." She turned to Severus. "And that you are Severus Snape." Severus's wand raised immediately.

"What kind of trick is this? Is she not a muggle? Who are you?" He demanded.

"Severus." The Headmaster rebuked and used his hand to forcibly lower the other man's wand. "Miss Harper, like my colleague here I am also curious how you know us. I detect no magical signature from you and don't recall any Squibbs by your name."

"I... um. Well. I am not magical. Definitely a muggle." She started but was cut off before she could continue.

"Then how do you know of our kind?" Severus bit back at her.

"Well, from the books about you. There are seven. I read them when I was 11 and frequently thereafter. But they must not be entirely accurate."

"And why is that my dear?" The Headmaster asked kindly his eyes twinkling at her.

"Oh. Well... Bit awkward I suppose, but neither of you survives the stories."

At this, the Headmaster chortled a little. "Learning of one's hopefully fictional demise is a bit, how did you put it? Ah yes, awkward. Still, I would be keen on hearing the tale, but perhaps a change of venue would be better? My knees aren't what they used to be, and this ground is very hard. Would you mind taking my arm?"

"Headmaster, I must protest. The Dark Lord may be gone, vanquished by that infant but his followers would delight in besting you."

"Severus I see no malice in her mind. She is telling the truth. You see it too." Jo bristled at the thought that they were so casually reading her mind.

"It would be foolhardy to believe I was the only Occlumens in the Dark Lords employ."

Her hand wavered just over the Headmaster's arm. "Vanquished when? How? You say, infant... you mean Harry Potter? How old is he now?"

"Curious questions Miss Harper. Voldemort-" Snape winced as Dumbledore continued seamlessly, "fell nearly ten years ago. Harry just celebrated his eleventh birthday."

Jo's face turned white as a sheet. "It hasn't happened yet!" She saw the puzzlement on Dumbledore's face. "My stories, they take place when he is at Hogwarts. Sir, if they're true, the lives we could save."

At this Severus glared at her. "I see nothing of these books in her mind, and it's not like it's a complex one. I implore you, Headmaster, to wipe her mind, and be done with it. She offers no proof."

"Please, I know things about you that Death Eaters wouldn't." She bit her lip as she contemplated what to say. "Professor Dumbledore you have a scar of the London Underground on your knee. Professor Snape, your Patronus is a doe."

Severus glared at her, while Dumbledore looked pensive. "To Severus's point, that isn't necessarily something that Voldemort's followers wouldn't know."

She felt sick. She had to come up with something. The only things that came to mind were dark though. She did not know how well they would go over.

"Sir I apologize, it might seem an invasion of privacy, but I know what happened with Ariana. She was attacked by muggles as a child. It left her frail and damaged, and she did not control her magic well. Your mother died shortly after you completed your studies. You went back to Godric's Hollow after one of Ariana's outbursts killed your mother and watched over her so Aberforth could continue his education-"

"That's enough Miss Harper." His eyes did not twinkle. He looked distraught. Severus, on the other hand, looked intrigued but remained silent. "Take my arm, please. Let's head to the castle."

Jo silently took his arm and gazed towards her original path. Past the giant loops in the distance was a castle. With two pops, the Scottish Highlands where they stood was vacant.


	2. Chapter 2

They reappeared standing at a tall black gate. Dumbledore held his hand to the lock, and it opened as if it recognized him. The trio walked silently up to the castle. It was a long walk, and Jo still carried her pack on her shoulders. Her mind continued to go over everything. It was surreal. She kept pinching herself.

"Stop that inane fidgeting woman." Snape barked at her, and she immediately dropped her hand from her arm. A splotchy red mark left in its wake. She thought to herself that he was just as charming in person as in the books. They rounded a corner, and the castle came into full view. She couldn't help herself. She just stopped in awe.

"Magnificent isn't it?" The Headmaster remarked following her gaze. All she could do was nod dumbly.

The entered the building. Jo could not stop looking at the stonework, the moving portraits, the grand staircases, the suits of armor, it was overwhelming.

"Severus let's go to my office. We can discuss the books and what Miss Harper might be able to contribute to the cause."

"If you insist." He said shortly.

They made there way up staircase after staircase. Jo figured they were quite high up in one of the towers. She saw the great gold gargoyle.

"Ice Mice." The Headmaster called. She smiled as she recalled all the sweets passwords he would employ. The gargoyle gave way to a moving circular staircase. They began the ascent.

Dumbledore's office was extraordinary. The staircase led into a large circular room filled to the brim with bookcases, and fascinating little objects. The walls wear covered with portraits of snoozing past Headmasters. Her eyes fell on a small basin with glittering liquid, a Pensieve, she surmised. A cooing noise alerted her to Fawkes who looked extraordinary with bright red and gold plumage. She realized her mouth was hanging open and quickly shut it. Snape rolled his eyes at this.

Dumbledore sat behind a large desk, he conjured two comfortable chairs and motioned for them to sit.

"Pippy" Dumbledore crooned. Suddenly a house elf appeared "Please return with a tray of tea and cakes for our meeting. After, if you wouldn't mind, let Professor Flitwick know that I will be unable to keep our chess appointment. Thank you." And the elf disappeared with a pop and moments later reappeared with their afternoon snack. Jo was ravenously hungry and gleefully exclaimed her thanks to the elf and Headmaster. The elf bowed in appreciation and left.

"Please tuck in, while I think aloud on how best approach this." Jo needn't be told twice, and she hungrily grabbed a cucumber and cream cheese sandwich. "It seems to me that the place to start is everything you can think of that has already transpired in your stories. Harry is eleven now. The books obviously contained some details of the past. I want to ascertain how truthful they have been to try and estimate how predictive they may be in the future."

Jo finished chewing and swallowed as she thought. "Well, sir. Voldemort killed Harry's parents in Godric's Hollow. The curse rebounded when he tried to perform the killing curse on Harry because Lily died trying to save him. Her love protected him. Hagrid took Harry to the Dursley's at your bequest on Sirius's motorbike. Petunia took him in, and they basically abused him over the past ten years. He slept in a cupboard under the stairs most his life and was bullied terribly by his cousin and his awful friends."

Severus who had been sitting motionless this whole time neither taking tea nor sandwiches looked at her in shock. Apparently, Harry's home life was not common knowledge.

"When his Hogwarts' letter arrived, his uncle tried to keep it from him. Many more were sent, and Hagrid had to hand-deliver one. Hagrid told him he was a wizard and took him to buy his supplies. His wand has Fawkes' tail feather as a core. Same as Voldemort."

As if on cue, there was a tap at the window. An owl was rapping its beak on the glass. Dumbledore rose and opened the window. He removed the missive from owl's leg and moved his hand in a flowy movement to show it to Fawkes' perch where it could grab a drink. His eyes peered through his half-moon spectacles and read the note. He looked up bemused.

"This is a letter from Ollivander to let me know that this afternoon Harry was in his shop and the wand that chose him was none other than the one you described" Snape's head snapped up. "Really now. This is all anything a good spy can surmise, and that was too well planned."

"Please. I can tell you more. See if it happens, then you'll believe me. Hagrid and Harry visited a vault. It will be broken into today."

"And do you know who breaks in or what was contained therein?" Snape implored.

"I do. If I share it, though, there are implications. If we don't act, I think we can selectively make changes to save lives. The second war loses so many. So by telling you, I must trust that you won't act."

"Won't act? Are you mad? Do you have any idea what will happen if it falls into the wrong hands?"Snape did not raise his voice; instead he spoke in a whisper-quiet voice that chilled Jo.

"It won't fall into the wrong hands." She said simply.

"And we're supposed to trust you?" He said the word like it was disgusting to him.

"Severus, for the time being, we shall. Please, Miss Harper. Answer his original question."

"The vault holds the Sorcerer's Stone and Professor Quirrell at the behest of Voldemort himself will attempt to steal from the empty vault." Severus sputtered at this.

"What happens the rest of the year? You said these books follow Harry?" Dumbledore inquired. She proceeded to give them a brief overview. How the trio formed. How they suspected Severus. How Quirrell got past Fluffy one evening when Dumbledore was gone and how the kids bested each protection. How Harry would overcome Voldemort. At this point, she tried to explain how Voldemort came back but was unable. Each time she tried to warn Dumbledore about Horcruxes she couldn't speak.

Severus grew increasingly frustrated that she wasn't finishing her thought and told her to knock it off.

They sat quietly. Finally, Severus piped up "If these are books that hold this knowledge then I suggest we go to muggle London and buy them." Dumbledore nodded "I feel that would be prudent as well." He stood and walked to his fireplace. "Come Miss Harper. We shall use Floo Powder to go to the Leaky Cauldron. From there, I would like you to take us to a Muggle bookshop with these books." Jo merely nodded. It was dawning on her that she would soon be irrelevant. She wondered if they would modify her memory. She took the powder from his proffered hand and threw it into the fire. She walked in and sadly but clearly said the Leaky Cauldron. She spun for what felt like ages. When she finally stopped, she tumbled onto the stone by the fireplace. Unable to get her bearings she just sat there, tears forming as she contemplated what she would soon lose. Severus came through next. He had started to sneer at her but noticed she was crying. She was surprised when he wordlessly held out a hand for her to grab and that he steadied her as she rose. His hand was cold to the touch and strong.

He let go of her immediately when Dumbledore entered through the fireplace. Dumbledore cast a spell that removed the dust from their clothes. His eyes fell on Jo, and he seemed to take in her emotional state. He pondered Severus and himself for a moment and transfigured their clothes from robes to ridiculous get-ups. When Jo looked at them, she couldn't help but laugh appreciatively at his thoughtfulness to try and cheer her at their expense. Dumbledore was in a zoot suit and hat, while Severus was in a bright pink Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and flipflops. Severus glowered and transfigured his clothes to a black, long sleeve button down shirt, black trousers, and black shoes.

"Really, old man?" he scowled.

"Black again, Severus?" Dumbledore asked mildly. He turned to Jo. "Shall we my dear? The door to muggle London is right there."

Jo led the way out of the Leaky Cauldron. She had never been to London before and was unsure where to find a bookstore. Her cell phone was dead, and she supposed that they would just ask for help. To her surprise though, there was a Waterstones right on the corner. She pointed to the store and went in. A meek woman was behind the counter, and Jo asked where she could find the Harry Potter books. The woman smiled and asked if they were going to cosplay because they're ringers for Albus and Severus while she pointed to the back of the store. Jo just nodded, unsure of what to say. She overheard Severus asking Dumbledore what cosplay was and she couldn't help but smile.

She walked up to the books that she had read so many times as a child. "Well, here they are."

Dumbledore picked up a book "Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix. Hmmm, they know about that do they?" A look of befuddlement played his features as he flipped through the book. Severus had grabbed a copy of the Half-Blood Prince and was flipping through it angerly.

"What is the meaning of this?" He barked at her.

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

"It's empty. Blanks pages all the way through." He grabbed another book and another and was discarding them haphazardly on the floor. She knelt down and picked it up. It wasn't blank.

Snape removed his wand and cast a notice-me-not charm. "Every one of these is blank. Headmaster, I tire of this charade." He looked at Jo and pointed his wand directly at her. "Legimens."

Jo felt a pressure in her head and then memory after memory began playing before her unbidden. She was ten and couldn't go trick or treating because she had a fever, and her grandmother had just given her the first Harry Potter book. She was twelve and was hiding from the neighborhood bully, reading in her grandmother's tree. She was sixteen and standing in line for the midnight release of another Harry Potter book dressed up as Tonks- she always wanted the freedom of becoming someone else for a while. Her ex was hitting her, and she managed to get away. She locked herself in the bedroom and was throwing things into a bag. She grabbed that first Harry Potter book and placed it in gently. She was reading about Molly comforting Tonks and thought how she wished her grandmother could comfort her that way after a funeral. She was reading the epilogue in a hospital tearing up thinking of the kids she would not have. Severus pushed into her mind deeper. Trying to read the pages in her mind. She felt terrible. The pain was excruciating. Suddenly it stopped.

"Severus!" Dumbledore bellowed at the Potions Master. "You will make her go mad." He conjured a cushion for Jo to sit on and pat her back comfortingly. "I am sorry Miss Harper."

"I don't know why you can't read them. I'm sorry." She cried as she said this.

"I have a theory, Miss Harper. I am beginning to think that these books are charmed. Anyone with magical ability will be unable to read them. Only muggles can. We can not force you through magical means to divulge their contents. I imagine if we tried Veritaserum it would be rendered inert. Tell me, when you were unable to speak back in the office, what book was that information in?" Dumbledore said all this calmly.

"The sixth." She provided.

"I see. Would you mind trying to tell me anything specific about Harry's second year?" Dumbledore asked.

She opened her mouth thinking of the basilisk and found once again that she was unable to speak.

"Indeed. Interesting. Yes. I think that you will only be able to tell us about the future one year at a time. I think that whoever created the books was a powerful Seer and wanted to provide a prophecy that couldn't fall into the wrong hands." Dumbledore continued offhandedly "Smart seeing how devastating the last prophecy was when it was used by Voldemort."

"Dumbledore this is outlandish. Surely you can't believe this?" An incredulous Severus balked at the idea.

"Severus it is simply an explanation. I do not know yet if it is the correct one. However, I think we would be wasting a precious asset if we turned Miss Harper away, assuming she would consider staying at the castle and helping us?"

Jo couldn't believe her ears. Stay at the castle? It was everything she had ever dreamed of. Suddenly questions started flooding her mind. What about her cat? How would she make money? She had no family anymore so she wouldn't have to explain her moving to them. Her few friends knew that she longed to travel and hated her job, so that would be explainable.

As if he read her mind, and Jo presumed he likely did, Dumbledore responded to her unspoken questions. "If it is amenable to you, I would like to offer you the position of Muggle Studies Professor. Our previous professor had some antiquated ideas on muggles and was let go. You would receive compensation and would have a private room and office in the castle. Arrangements for you to pack up your things and say goodbye to your friends would begin as soon as possible so you can move in and start reviewing the curriculum and proposing changes. I think it would be prudent to not disclose that you are not a witch so I will find a wand for you to carry. I will ask Professor McGonagall, my deputy, to arrange a Portkey and assist you."


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay. At least this one is a longer chapter.

* * *

Jo woke up in a four-poster bed with soft, crisp sheets and curtains drawn. She took in her surroundings, the previous day's events slowly surfacing in her mind. She was really here. Hogwarts. She felt a wave of excitement crash over her. She lept out of bed as if she were a child on Christmas Day. She saw a beautiful walnut wardrobe in the corner of the room with her trekking poles next to them. In her exhaustion, after drawing up plans with the Headmaster and Professor Snape for what her backstory would be and how regularly they would meet to discuss the future, she just dumped her bag on the ground and stumbled into bed when the Headmaster showed her to her new quarters. She wondered if someone cleaned up after her in the night? A house elf, perhaps? Another prominent big grin flashed across her features. She opened the wardrobe and saw what few things she had in the bag were laundered and put away neatly. To no one in particular, she said 'Thank you' enthusiastically. She was shocked when a high pitched voice replied.

"Missus is so kind." A tiny house-elf was standing by her bed. She had bat-like ears and beautiful doe eyes. Her tea towel was clean and pressed, and she proudly wore the Hogwarts' crest, puffing out her chest a bit so Jo would see it plainly. Beaming she continued. "I am Tibby. Professor Dumbledore gave me a most important job. I am to make sure you are comfortable and safe and have everything you need to be a new professor. He said you had no magic of your own and to keep it secret, but to help you with magic when you need it. There's no tricity here so your shortcuts won't work right."

Jo was delighted to meet Tibby. She knew Hermione's views of keeping a house-elf, but in her time reading the books, she thought that most of them really did enjoy their status. She felt something needed to be done to protect elves like Dobby from cruel masters, but if they wanted to help their human counterparts, who treated them kindly and with respect, she had no problem with it.

"Tibby, it is my honor to meet you. Thank you for agreeing to help me. Were you the one who was so thoughtful to put my things away?" Tibby nodded, smiling. "Thank you. I was worried I would have to eat breakfast smelling like a campfire. A wonder though, would you happen to know where a bathroom is?"

"Missus has a private one," Tibby said as a scampered across the stone floors wrenching open a massive carved door on the other side of the room. Jo followed her into an exquisite place. Italian marble graced the floors, a cream-colored vanity lined one wall. On another, there were open shelves filled with fluffy white towels of all sizes, and comfortable-looking bathrobes hung from intricate hooks made to look like vines. In the center of the bathroom was an elegant garden-size tub with many taps and levers. Tibby walked up to the tub and snapped her fingers. Instantly water began to pour from one of the spouts. Tibby looked quizzically at Jo.

"Does Missus like bubbles?" She queried.

"I would love bubbles, Tibby. Thank you!" She smiled feeling impossibly happy. "You know, you can call me Jo. No need for anything more formal."

Tibby was working on the bath. Bubbles filled it, and a beautiful honey and almond scent filled the room. "It is proper to refer to the lady a house-elf serves as Missus. Professor Dumbledore warned me that you mightn't be knowings all the traditions."

"Oh. All right. I just don't want you to think I'm stuffy. I have never met a house-elf before. Where are you from? How did you end up working at Hogwarts?"

"I will tell you, but your bath mustn't get cold. Hop in Tibby will cover her eyes." And with that Tibby mover her bat-like ears over her eyes. Jo disrobed and climbed into the bath. It was the perfect temperature, and the light perfumes were intoxicating. "I'm in," Jo called to Tibby.

"I was born in Hogwarts." She proclaimed proudly. "Fifteen generations have served here. The first in my family was handpicked by Helga Hufflepuff, herself, to work in the kitchens. But I am the first to have the Headmaster ask them to do a special job."

Jo was delighted that Tibby seemed so thrilled to be helping her. She had worried that Tibby would miss the kitchens and her other house-elf friends, but she seemed delighted to be tasked with the job.

After she cleaned up and put on fresh clothes, Jo's stomach rumbled. Tibby nodded knowingly and held out her hand. Jo took it, and they walked out into the corridor. She mused that it felt very much like being led someplace new by a small child. Minutes later they were in the Great Hall.

An elderly woman with black hair and a tight bun greeted her as she entered the hall.

"Good Morning Professor Harper. Dumbledore has explained that you've been hired to take over the Muggle Studies classes from Professor Minturn. I look forward to your improvements to the syllabus; the current one is dreadfully out of date and filled with misinformation and obnoxious myths about muggles. If you follow me up to the High Table, we can have breakfast." Jo followed excitedly to have a Hogwarts' breakfast. The food in the novels always sounded exquisite. She sat down to Professor McGonagall's right and was surprised when shortly after when Professor Snape took the seat to her left.

"Professor Harper." He nodded to her as he sat.

"Good morning Professor Snape." She said with a happy lilt in her voice. As the words left her mouth, food magically appeared on the table. Her eyes must have been as big as saucers as she took in the feast before her. There were raspberry scones and clotted cream, fluffy scrambled eggs, a whole tray of assorted breakfast meats that sizzled, and big beautiful carafes of coffee and tea. She eagerly filled her plate.

"You act as if you've been starved. Do you have any decorum?" Professor Snape intoned.

"Severus!" Professor McGonagall chided him. "Where are your manners? You know she's been out in the woods for weeks. I'd expect her to be hungry. I imagine this is your first solid meal in a while, correct Professor Harper?" Jo smiled.

"Oh, it's no problem, Professor McGonagall. I've been warned that Professor Snape can be a bit rough 'round the edges. I was digging in pretty voraciously. This is my first morning in about a month that isn't campfire coffee and granola. You're both welcome to call me Jo, too."

"And you may call me Minerva, Jo. I must say I've never been much interested in the hobby of camping. It's a very muggle tradition, is it not? Do you have a muggle parent that introduced you to it?"

Jo remembered that her muggle status was supposed to be secret and was uncertain if Minerva was made aware or not. She swallowed but was spared from answering by Professor Snape.

"Minerva, I have no desire to hear her prattle on about this stupid sport. Besides, we have proper business to attend to." He said acidly turning to Jo. "The Headmaster delegated the unpleasant task of accompanying you to Diagon Alley since you were incompetent enough to lose your wand on your assinine camping trip. I shall leave as soon as I finish my meal. If it is your intention to remedy your stupidity, you'll quit chatting."

"Of course, Professor Snape." She nodded. Minerva glared daggers at Severus, but Jo was glad. He cut in at the perfect time, so she didn't trip up and reveal herself to be a muggle. He also gave her an excuse for not carrying a wand, though it was an embarrassing one.

She finished eating just as Severus rose. Without even looking at her, he began to leave the hall. She gave Minerva an apologetic smile "I better get going. I'll see you soon Minerva." Her short legs moved twice as fast to catch up to him with his long, purposeful strides.

"You need to be more careful. Minerva is no threat, but you need to protect your secret as if your life depends on it as it very likely does." She nodded somberly in response. "We will get you a wand for you to carry and the Headmaster instructed me to help you purchase any supplies and living essentials that you would need for the year. We will also take a Portkey to your home so you can collect anything you need and say goodbye."

"I thought the Headmaster said Minerva would be doing that?" She questioned.

"I thought that would be inadvisable." He said coolly. "When keeping secrets, it's best to limit the number of people who can betray you. Right now only four know."

She nodded. Counting in her head. Dumbledore, Snape, Tibby, and herself. Though she knew Tibby the shortest, she knew she could trust all implicitly.

"Are we going to Diagon Alley or my home first?"

"Do you have a preference?" Snape inquired.

"Home." She said simply. "Can I tell them?"

"You may tell your family. I can assist as most muggles do not believe if they merely hear the news. But you are not permitted to tell your friends." She nodded and noticed that they had stopped at a door. Professor Snape held his hand to against a stone for a moment, and the door opened. They were in an office. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, in which floated all manner of revolting things. In the back of the room was an immaculate and orderly desk that had half a dozen bright sunflowers in a vase right in the middle of it. Jo had never seen something look so out of place. Severus surveyed her for a moment.

"The Headmaster believes himself to have a sense of humor. Our Portkey shall be ready in about five minutes." He said nodding in the direction of the flowers. Jo smiled in acknowledgment. She rather enjoyed Professor Dumbledore's humor.

"I appreciate your helping me today." She said.

"I did not have another option." He said plainly.

"Nonetheless, it's still nice to have the company." When it became apparent that he wasn't going to respond, she tried another tactic. "Have you had much experience talking to muggle parents?"

"I expect you already know the answer." He spat. "Right? You know all about everything here. That's why we're stuck with you."

"Most of what I know is from Harry's, and you weren't exactly chummy, so I don't actually know." There was no anger or shortness in her voice. She understood why a man as private as Snape would be upset with someone knowing his secrets.

"I have only told a small handful of student's parents. Generally, that responsibility falls to Minerva." For a fleeting moment, a tight smile graced his lips. "Also, the Headmaster disapproves of my methods of proving magic exists."

At first, Jo smiled too. She could only imagine how he decided to do this, but then she remembered they were going to see her family. "Wait one minute, mister. You are not going to traumatize my parents." She pointed a finger sternly at him. Professor Snape looked at her with bemusement.

"And what, pray tell, is that" he pointed to her outstretched index "Supposed to do?"

She laughed. "It is supposed to make you recoil in fear of my menacing nature and heed my warning." Light danced in her eyes. The whole exchange was entirely unfamiliar to him, and he found himself enjoying it.

"Consider me thoroughly warned." He answered, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. He then began to unbutton his outer robe. Jo immediately felt her cheeks redden and she looked away awkwardly. "You are insufferable. I am not undressing, woman. It wouldn't due for me showing up in the muggle world drawing attention with robes."

She looked at him after his rebuke to see that he had a plain black shirt and black slacks under the robes and felt even more embarrassed than before which didn't help the color of her cheeks any.

"Come, put your hand on the vase. You'll be most comfortable if you take a deep breath before it starts." He added helpfully.

Jo was touched by his thoughtfulness. Nowhere in the books did it provide any suggestions for taking a Portkey in a manner where one didn't end up falling or feeling like one would retch. She took a deep breath and touched the vase. A moment later, she felt his hand touch the tip of her fingers, and a shock went through her. Her breath hitched, and everything began to spin. She felt horribly compressed and uncomfortable. She found it easy to breathe out, but couldn't take a breath in due to the pressure she felt. Then, as suddenly as it started, the spinning stopped. She was on her feet, and the world still felt as if it was turning rapidly around her and she began to fall. A hand firmly grabbed her small bicep and steadied her. She swayed.

"Take a deep breath. Put your hands on your knees if you need." He instructed her, and she complied, immediately feeling better. She stayed like that for a few moments. His hand still held onto her, almost painfully. She took a deep breath and stood, nodding to him.

"Thank you, Professor." She smiled at him and looked around. He let her loose from his grip and followed her gaze.

"Where are we?" Professor Snape inquired.

"We're in my parents' yard. That's the barn there." She pointed. It felt odd being here. Though they were her parents, they were not really involved with her upbringing. They had always traveled and taught in unique places and explored the world, leaving her with her grandmother for years at a time. They're relationship improved after she became an adult, but it was not one that would be considered warm. "Come on. They'll be inside." He followed her to the door, and she knocked firmly. The dogs started barking chaotically like they always did. Moments later she saw her mother's face in the window, and the door opened.

"Jo! We weren't expecting you! Thought you were still in Scotland. Who's this?" Jo's mom was a kind woman. She stood a couple inches shorter than Jo and had sandy blonde hair instead of the deep chocolate locks that Jo had. Her mom held out her hand for Severus to shake. "I'm Mary."

Severus took her hand and shook it firmly. "Good Morning, Mary, sorry to intrude without notice. I am Severus." Mary's eyes looked more carefully at Severus as if she was trying to figure out a puzzle. "Come on in." She said and gave Jo a hug. She led them to the kitchen table and started a pot of tea.

"Jo I thought your trip was going to go another month and now all of a sudden you show up with a man. None of this is like you. What's going on?" She asked quizzically, and before Jo could begin to answer she looked at Severus and asked "Are you her boyfriend now or something? Jo never brings anyone home."

"Mom!" She yelped out. She really did not feel that her lack of dating life was anything for her colleague to know. "We're not dating. We're going to work together. I was offered a job in Scotland. I am going to teach there."

Mary looked confused. "Sweetie, I love you, but you're not exactly qualified to teach anything are you?"

"Ouch. Mom." Jo said drolly. "Mom, do you remember the Harry Potter books I made you read?"

"Jo. Don't you dare. You are not going to work for some amusement park." She turned to Severus accusingly. "I know you've roped her into this somehow. What you have these ridiculous costumes and pretend you're in character and "teach" children's books. I won't have it. SAM!" She yelled loudly for Jo's dad.

There was a noise from upstairs, and a man in his mid-fifties walked into the room.

"Jo! Good to see you" He gave his daughter a big hug and then turned to the man. "Boyfriend? 'Bout time." He asked as he held out his hand. Jo wanted the world to swallow her up.

"Professor Severus Snape." He said as he shook Sam's hand. "Your daughter and I are colleagues."

"Nonsense! Severus Snape my ass!" Cried Jo's mom to everyone's surprise. "Your daughter wants to go play pretend with some losers that the Harry Potter books are real."

Sam looked like he was missing some details and stayed quiet. Severus removed his wand from its holster.

"If you will allow me, Mrs. Harper." He swished his wand in front of him and transfigured a napkin on the table into a beautiful sprig of lilac flowers and handed it to her. "We will not be playing pretend. Your daughter was trekking through the Scottish highlands and stumbled upon our school. Upon questioning her, we realized that she had a great deal of knowledge about our kind and it seems the future. She informed us of a series of books. We are unable to read them, but she told us that she could help us navigate the events to come. Our Headmaster invited her to teach with us as a Muggle Studies professor and your daughter accepted."

Sam and Mary looked perplexed, their jaws slack.

"Jo that seems dangerous. You made me read those book, too, remember." Mary said quietly. "Particularly Muggle Studies, Jo."

Severus' features were masked, but his ears perked up at that clue. Why was the Muggle Studies position dangerous?

"I know Mom, but I can't pass this opportunity up. I might be able to change things. I think I'm supposed to." She said pleadingly.

"This is what you want then kiddo?" Her dad smiled at her, and she nodded. "Mary, the kid's always been stubborn. She's going regardless of what we say. Might as well support her." Sam looked at Severus. "Genuinely wish you had just been the boyfriend."

The strange quartet had tea and discussed her role and the school. She was happy to learn that their fireplace would be connected to her private one in case they wanted to chat. Severus also charmed three notebooks. So that the writing in one would show up on the others so they could write to one another. He explained to them that owls simply couldn't make the distance. After they finished the tea, she hugged her parents and teared up a bit. They wished her luck, and they walked outside onto the driveway once more. She retrieved her cell phone from her pocket and texted a few close friends that she would be staying in Scottland, but she would be in touch as often as she could, but that the town she was in had spotty internet and cell reception so snail mail might be easiest. Severus explained that many muggle families mail post to special post office boxes where owls will deliver the letters to magical recipients. She knew her friendships would suffer the distance and the poor communication, but she hoped it would be okay.

She sighed and asked how they would get to her apartment.

"It would be easiest if I performed legimancy once more." He said, and Jo recoiled at the thought. It had been so intrusive and painful before. She was about to say no when he continued. "I was not delicate before. I apologize. If you focus on exactly where the apartment is located and let me know when you are ready, I will begin. It will not hurt." She nodded and thought.

She lived in the city. The flagstone sidewalk led up to her front stoop. She had an assortment of flowers outside her green front door. A bird feeder and a plate filled with seed for the squirrels too were off to the left, and a tiny garden box that she built was to the right. She met his eyes, and they bore into hers. Still staring deep, he wrapped one arm around her and the instant she felt him her thoughts strayed to how good that felt and her cheeks reddened once more. He stiffened and with a POP they apparated.

She stumbled when they landed at her stoop and Severus's other arm wrapped around her, his arms bracing hers. She gulped a bit awkwardly and murmured her thanks. She punched the code into the lockbox by the door and removed the key. She opened the door. Two cats immediately started meowing and rubbing themselves around her feet.

"Hey, sweeties." She cooed at them. "Did you miss mum?" She scratched behind their ears and scooped one of them up. "This is Gandhi, and that's her brother, Godzilla. I didn't name them, so don't take it up with me."

Severus smiled slightly at the unusual names. He felt strange that he was seeing such a personal side to Jo. He didn't know the woman, but had met her family, held her close, and was now standing in her home looking appraisingly at the belongings inside. He pulled out a minuscule piece of luggage from his pocket and enlarged it.

"We will not be able to take everything, but you can grab some clothing and things that are important to you."

"How will we take the cats back? We can take them too right? I don't think I can bear saying goodbye to my parents, all my friends, and my cats in one day. Oh god, I must sound like a crazy cat lady right now."

"Your parents were very dismayed at your singleness, and you have not one, but two felines." He said. Jo looked shocked and hurt until she saw that he was smiling. Severus Snape was teasing her. "Of course, we shall take your familiars back to the castle."

She put Gandhi down on the floor and squeezed Severus's arm in thanks before taking the suitcase into her bedroom. While she packed, he perused her bookshelf and saw the same set of books that he knew if he opened would only reveal white, blank pages, They looked exceptionally wore. The apartment was bright. There were plants all over and beautiful oil paintings. It felt cozy. He sat on the sofa and Godzilla hopped up to get petted. He stroked the cat and waited patiently.

Jo looked bemused when she came out, suitcase packed. She grabbed another bag and loaded the books into it. "You know, he doesn't take to anyone. They were both feral. My mom found them in the barn and gave them to me as kittens. Gandhi will say hi to people besides me, but Godzilla never does. But he sure seems to like you."

Severus looked at the white cat who was purring contentedly on his lap.

"Of course, he is pretty devious. It could be that he just wanted to cover your all black clothing with white cat fur." She laughed when she saw Severus inspect his clothing and his surprise in being coated.

"You traitorous beast." He murmured stroking the cat's head. "Are you all set?"

"I am." She said before pausing. "What will happen to my place while I am away?"

"The Headmaster has seen that some charms were placed. Everything will remain exactly as it is. It has been made unplottable. Your muggle neighbors will forget that it ever existed."

She shook her head. It was so odd to think of magic being able to do such things, and the fact that magic was now so entwined with her life was dizzying. Severus shrunk the bag once more and put it in his pocket. He attempted to do the same with her book bag, but the books seemed impervious to any magic. "Peculiar." He said more to himself.

She shrugged the bag onto her back and wrangled the cats into their carrier. She looked wistfully at her home, wondering if she would ever return. For the first time since this had started, she found herself saddened. She was leaving everything she knew. Her parents. Her friends. Her home. Her heart began to pound, and her breathing became unsteady. Tears welled in big doe-like eyes. She embarrassedly wiped at them. This was an opportunity that she never could have dreamed for. She should be happy she scolded herself. Trembling slightly, she felt an awkward pat on her shoulder. Severus was looking at her concerned and distinctly uncomfortable. "Thank you," she spoke hardly above a whisper.

Severus retrieved a coin from his pocket, pointed his wand at it, and murmured 'Portus.' He stretched out his hand and took the carrier from her. "It'll be easier for me. Remember to take a breath." He instructed. She placed her hand on the coin and felt his on top of hers. She locked eyes with his, and the room began to spin.


	4. Chapter 4

Another update today :) Please read and review. They really do help me keep going.

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Chapter 4

It had been a week since Jo had settled into the castle. Severus had taken her to Diagon Alley, and she was wowed by all the magical shops. There was one shop that she found particularly invaluable which was never mentioned in the books - Buchanon's Bazaar. Evidently, Angus Buchanon was a Squib and Muggle Rugby star who later semi-retired by opening a store that sold goods to help Squibs in a magical world.

She was particularly pleased with a magical hairbrush that would style her hair in seconds. It was a splurge item, but after struggling with her hair for the past 30 years, she thought the purchase was well worth it. Severus chided her and pushed her in front of more practical items like a charmed bag that would make whatever she carried feel weightless, a skeleton key that was bewitched to unlock doors like the Alohamora spell, a quill that would help with marking, and a shawl that would make her feel comfortable no matter the weather.

They had gone to Knockturn Alley to find the fake wand. Severus ordered her not to speak to anyone and stay near him. It took him a long while to haggle with an old hag to buy a wand that was not hexed to harm its holder. When he was content with its safety, he gave it to Jo. It was light in color and had small vine details along the handle. She was to have the wand on her at all times despite its uselessness.

She collected the ordinary things too that she would need. Cloaks, robes, quills, and parchment. She also bought many books from Flourish and Blotts including Hogwarts a History, The Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles, and My Life as a Squib.

Now she was in her rooms sitting at a desk eyeing a clock very carefully. She wished it would move faster. Jo was excited because she had her first meeting with Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape today to discuss the upcoming school year. She had taken exhaustive notes after studying the books. She was very vexed, to be honest. There was little that could be changed - at least in Harry's first year. She did that that they could and should start the search for the Horcruxes now. She rechecked the clock. 15 minutes until she had to be at Dumbledore's office. Jo put on her magical shawl and left her quarters.

When she arrived at Dumbledore's office, she smiled as she spoke the password. "Peppermint Imps." Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, and Severus was in a comfortable looking chair in front of it. She took the other seat.

"Thank you for joining us, dear." Professor Dumbledore said genially. "As you know, we're here to discuss what changes you would like to see this year and what implications they may have."

Jo gulped and retrieved her notes from her bag. "Yes, sir." She looked at the two men and began as they looked intently at her. "I am hesitant to start because there are things I cannot share from other books. You will just have to trust me that altering some of the events that are to come will have disastrous consequences." Dumbledore smiled encouragingly, while Severus was as inscrutable as ever.

"Professor Dumbledore, have you already extended an offer to Professor Quirrell for the Defense Against Dark Arts position?" she asked.

"I have." Responded Dumbledore while Severus glowered.

"Excellent. He is going to try and steal the Philosopher's Stone."

"Why on earth is that excellent?" Snape interjected.

"Because it sets a lot into motion. Some friendships need to be forged this year, and some demons faced." She replied enigmatically.

"I had surmised that the stone was in danger. I have already taken precautions. Hagrid will fetch the stone today, and many of the professors have provided it with protections." Dumbledore said sagely.

"Terrific. Just wanted to make sure things were on track." She paused. "I think that we need to begin hunting down a few artifacts. We won't be able to destroy them yet, but I think it will save time."

"What kind of artifacts?" Queried Severus suspiciously.

"Are you familiar with Horcruxes?" Jo spoke clearly, but a shiver was sent down her spine. Severus looked sharply at her and Dumbledore looked solemn.

"A children's book told from the perspective of the Potter boy included details on Horcruxes?" Severus asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Errr. The books get pretty dark, I suppose." She said lamely. "Anyway, I think there's no better approach than ripping this band-aid off. Voldemort-" Severus hissed, "-created a number of Horcruxes. We won't be able to get to all of them now, but we should try and locate Marvolo Gaunt's ring, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, Salazar Slytherin's Locket, and Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem."

"This is absurd. Those artifacts are lost to time. And what do you mean a number? This isn't the complete list? How many did he create? Headmaster, really?" Severus spat.

"Severus, we asked for help. I do not doubt the veracity of Jo's statement. At this time, however, I do not want to know the number or hear the complete list." Dumbledore's eyes did not twinkle as they met Jo's. Jo wondered if he already guessed about Harry.

"The artifacts can be located. Some of them easily. The diadem is located in the Room of Requirement in this castle on the 7th floor across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. The ring is hidden inside a golden box under the Gaunt shack's rotting floorboards outside Little Hangleton. The locket in with a house elf named Kreature. He belongs to the Black family. At this point in time, I do not know the location of the cup. Only that Hepzibah Smith and she was murdered. There is a house elf named Hokey that might be able to provide more information though." She said looking imploringly to Dumbledore.

Severus sat stunned for a moment. Nothing was said as they took in the information.

"Also, and I cannot stress this enough," Jo said sternly. "All of this is for naught if you put on that ring, Professor Dumbledore. I do not care what you are tempted by."

For the first time, Jo's voice had a steely edge to it.

"I think if we accomplish that this year, we will be very successful. As certain events happen or come up, I might see you individually to try and help where I can. Or if I notice things straying too much from the books. Switching gears a bit, how much leeway do I have with the Muggle Studies curriculum?"

"The goal of the curriculum is to equip students for life after Hogwarts. Secondarily, the school's courses may be reviewed if they do not prepare students adequately for their O. and N.E.W.T.s by the Wizarding Examination Authority." Responded Dumbledore. "That said; however you choose to accomplish these tasks is entirely up to you."

Jo smiled. "Excellent. Thank you, Professor."

Weeks flew by, and Jo prepared for her classes by reviewing old OWLs and NEWTs exams. She was pleased that while the previous professor's material was woefully out of date and maligned muggles, that the exams were not. She used her fireplace, connected to her parent's home to collect muggle artifacts that she thought the students would benefit from. She had decided on approaching the first few lectures as a compare/contrast with how muggles and wizards approached problems. Communication. Transportation. Healing. Customs. Education. She scratched her quill on the parchment outlining notes, feeling a bit daunted by the responsibility of teaching a generation of students about the muggle world in a way that would shield them against the prejudice and hate that would come.

It was September 1, and Jo was in a tizzy. She was so nervous that she couldn't bring herself to eat breakfast or lunch, instead opting to walk around the lake in the brisk fall weather. She was surprised when a very tall and very large man with black, beetle-like eyes wandered over to her as she started another lap.

"'Ello there. You must be Professor Harper. Professor Dumbledore said we had a new Muggle Studies Professor this year. My name's Rubeus Hagrid, but everyone just calls me Hagrid, and I'm the Keeper of the Keys and Groundskeeper here at Hogwarts." He extended a massive hand to Jo, and when he shook hers, she felt as if her whole body was being shaken.

"Good afternoon, Hagrid. It's a pleasure to meet you." Jo said genuinely with a bright smile.

"It looks like yer a bit nervous if all your laps around the lake mean anything. I can put on a pot of tea to help calm yeh down. My hut's just over that hill."

"Oh Hagrid, that sounds lovely. I am nervous. I haven't actually taught before, and it's all feeling pretty real right about now."

They took the dirt path up to Hagrid's hut, and he called to Fang to quit barking and showed her in. He began readying the fire and added water to the kettle.

"You've got nothin' to worry about. The students are alright. Mind the Slytherin's. I reckon some of them won't approve of your subject, but it's not like any of them will be taking it anyway. Besides that, you just have to look after a couple troublemakers here and there. The Weasley Twins don't mean anyone any harm, but sometimes their pranks get a bit outta hand."

"Hagrid, what do you mean the Slytherins won't be taking my subject?" She had never really considered it. She knew her course was elective, but she didn't realize that a whole house of students might not be attending.

"A lot of them be Purebloods, of course, or at least their more likely to look down on Muggles. Wouldn't do much for their status if they seemed interested." He explained simply.

She harrumphed at this. "But if they don't take it, they'll just remain as biased as ever."

"Aye."

They spoke some more on about the course, and Hagrid told her more about Hogwarts. Most of it she knew, but she just enjoyed his company. She felt as though she had known him for years and found it easy to confide in him her concerns for the term and nervousness to be in a new place. When he asked, she told him truthfully that she was new to Scotland and had been living in the United States and that she had met Professor Dumbledore traveling and after conversing, he offered her the position. She admitted for the first time that it felt like he had been saving her from a very dreary crossroads in her life.

"Great man, Dumbledore," Hagrid said to this reverently. "Come, you'll need to be heading up to the castle. Professors are expected at the High Table for the Welcome Feast. I need to go fetch the Firs' Years."

Jo wandered up the path to the school. She straightened her robes and went into the Great Hall. She marveled at how beautifully it was decorated. A few professors were already seated. She looked nervously at the chairs and wondered if there were assigned seats.

"You may sit next to me, Professor Harper," called a silky voice. She was surprised at Severus' kindness until she surmised that he probably had read her mind just now, which felt like an invasion of privacy.

"Thank you, but please refrain from doing that," Jo remarked as she sat down next to him.

"Doing what?" He inquired almost innocently.

"Poking around my head." She answered directly. "I'm starving. Will it be much longer?"

"In the future, I would recommend not skipping meals to prevent that. The students are only just now disembarking the train. You have a while." He drolled.

Her stomach gurgled. They didn't speak much as the older students filed in. Her eyes gazed eagerly at their faces trying to recognize some based on their descriptions. The Weasleys were easy to spot at the Gryffindor table, but she knew so few of the students above Harry's year. When the first years entered, she could feel Severus stiffen next to her. She knew that this must be a trying moment for him. Minerva brought out the stool with the Sorting Hat and took her place to the side and waited patiently. With a booming voice, a song filled the hall.

Oh you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

One by one, students were called up to put the hat on their head and be sorted. Her heart leapt when Hermione, Neville, Harry, and Ron were sorted. She looked pensively at the Slytherin table where Draco sat. Jo wondered if she could help him. She never believed him to be an evil child, just one who was a product of his environment.

She smiled when Dumbledore said his few words "Oddment, Nitwit, Blubber, Tweak!" Moments later when the food appeared she dug in happily. Surveying the students as she ate, she could pinpoint the moment when Harry's scar bothered him. It seemed that her fears of the books not mimicking her reality now were moot.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you for being patient with this update. It's a bit longer. Thank you to the Guest reviewer who caught my pasting error.

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After the meal, the headmaster went over the start of term announcements. She smiled meekly and raised her hand in a soft wave when her own name was announced to the hall. After the school song, the headmaster dismissed the hall, and Jo found herself nervously meandering the halls. She knew she should go to bed, but found herself walking to her classroom instead. She walked to the front of the small room. There were only enough seats for a handful of students. She wondered how many she would be teaching. She stood at the podium and looked out over the desks standing neatly in rows before her and jumped back a bit. Her heart was pounding as her eyes fell on Severus Snape seated in the back row.

"Oh, you startled me!" Her hand instinctively patted her chest to try and steady the beating.

"Just saw you slip in here. Nervous for your first day?" He asked sardonically.

"I am actually. No need for any tone." She said and gave him a half smile. "Any advice?"

Severus raised one eyebrow and she felt her breath catch as she felt the movement was so quintessentially him.

"Each professor adopts a persona with their class. However, you act the first day sets the tone for the rest of the year. Some professors are encouraging like Professor Flitwick. Some allow their classes to be completely off-task like Professors Trelawney and Binns. Minerva and I prefer a stricter method. You are young enough that students might try and take advantage of your kindness. I think telling you to act overbearing will prove impossible for you to do, so just aim to elicit questions and be stern with anyone who attempts to hijack your classroom. It's late though. You'll want to be well-rested to deal with the dunderheads."

She smiled genuinely towards Severus and nodded her head appreciatively at his advice. As she made her way to the door, she shivered slightly when Severus placed a guiding hand on the small of her back as they exited the empty classroom. They stopped in the hallway and he gave her a slight bow. "Goodnight Professor Harper," and he turned and walked down the deserted corridor, his cloak swishing with his steps.

"Goodnight Professor Snape." She called after him.

When Jo awoke the next morning, she bolted upright in bed and nervously searched for the time. Her bleary eyes fell upon a clock. The clock's handles read 7 AM. She leapt out of bed and began throwing on her robes. She wasn't late per se, but she needed to get a move on if she wanted breakfast and to be there to greet her first students. She pulled on a pair of sneakers and dashed into the hall. No sooner had she got into the corridor, she found herself in a heap on the floor. Examining her surroundings, she realized she had knocked down two red-haired students with short, stocky builds and an abundance of freckles.

"Sorry Professor!" Exclaimed one of the twins.

"Didn't see you there." The other added apologetically.

"No my apologies. I was hurrying out and didn't look where I was going." She stood first and offered a hand out to each of the boys so they could stand up. "I'm Professor Harper. I teach Muggle Studies. What are your names?"

"Fred Weasley!" He exclaimed holding out his hand. "And this is my twin."

"George Weasley." He took her outstretched hand and planted a kiss on it instead. "Enchanté Professor Harper."

She shook her head part exacerbated part charmed. "You boys best be off to the Great Hall. Hope to see you in class."

They headed off and she thought she could hear them asking one another if it was too late to switch to Muggle Studies as their elective or if Professor McGonagall would let them.

She sat at the same seat she took the night previous and was nervously chewing on a bit of toast when Professor Snape took the place next to her. She made to reach for the coffee, but he snatched it out of her reach. Her hand moved instead to grab a second slice of toast, and he pulled the whole plate over to him. She gave him a quizzical look and instead tried for the fruit basket. Once again, he thwarted her attempts.

"Professor Snape, really. I would like to finish breakfast." She smiled at him jovially, but her smile fell when she saw his stern face.

"I thought you were sincerely asking my advice last night." He spat accusatorially. "If I knew you were merely trying to ply into my good graces..."

"Professor Snape, I was grateful and appreciative for your advice. What is wrong?"

"And now you cut me off." His voice was steely.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I really did not mean to offend you, but I'm lost as to how I've done so."

"I gave you advice so you would not be walked over in your classes and at the first opportunity you throw it out the window and have the Weasley brats fawning over you." He spat. Jo was dumbfounded.

"Professor, I inadvertently tackled them this morning. That's hardly having them fawn over me. I'm mortified."

"They've switched their schedules. So you've made quite an impression. Though not one any serious professor would like. Do you think I'd allow a student to kiss my hand?" HIs eyes bore into hers. He grabbed a croissant and stormed away from the high table leaving Jo to wonder if her reputation would take a hit.

Dismayed she checked the clock and grabbed an apple to take to class. She rather wished her first day was off to a better start. When she got to her classroom, she was the only one there. She opened her syllabus. She would have her third-year class today, which meant more of Fred and George. She thought of Professor Snape's last words to her and reminded herself that she could be a good teacher and not be terrifying too.

She decided to not stand at the podium and instead sat up on top of her desk in the front of the room as students filed in. When the students stopped trickling in, she took a breath and looked at her roll.

"Good morning class," she had barely started when the twins loudly exclaimed. "GOOD MORNING PROFESSOR!" Waving flamboyantly in the back. She smiled good-naturedly and continued.

"All right. I'm going to do a quick roll call, and then we'll jump in shall we? Just raise your hand when I get to your name. Elanor Branstone. Roger Davies. Angelina Johnson. Lee Jordan. Patricia Stimpson. Kenneth Towler. Fred Weasley. George Weasley." As she read the twins names, they offered her two, too-formal bows.

"Alright. As this is your first class and first time taking Muggle Studies, I thought that we could start with any questions that you might have about muggles. No question is too silly. It doesn't have to be related to what we're going to study this year. Just anything that confuses you or interests you about muggles. Nothing is off limits. "

The class was quiet but Fred and George were exchanging excited glances at the words "Nothing is off limits," but they didn't have an opportunity to ask before Patricia's hand went up.

"Yes, Miss Stimpson." Asked Jo looking once more to her roster.

"Professor, how do muggles..."

Taking her first question led to a barrage of questions. The students wanted to know so many things. How do muggles travel if they don't have Portkey's or Floo Powder? Why don't muggles wear cloaks? Why do muggle students stay with their parents in school? How can muggles live without Quidditch?

Most were lighthearted, but as the lesson went on, Jo was answering harder questions. What's wrong with muggles that they can't do magic? Why do we have to hide from muggles?

"Why do muggles hate us?" asked Elanor.

"Why do you believe that they hate wizard kind?" asked Jo back.

"In History of Magic, we've had summer reading. They tried to burn witches at the stake in America." Some of the students looked shocked at this revelation. Clearly, not everyone had paid as much attention to their summer revisions as this astute Ravenclaw.

"That is tough to say. I do not think that you can judge a whole group of people by the worst of their kind. The Salem witch trials are an especially interesting period of history to examine. As you know, no real witches or wizards were harmed in the trials, they were attacking their own. No one understands for sure why, but many believe that there were socio-economic reasons and divisions among the classes. Combined with this there was a general lack of prosperity, and it allowed unscrupulous sorts to begin a campaign scapegoating all their problems to another group. The group of choice was witches.

This happens time and time again in history. A society wants an easy fix to a problem and blames another group of people for the situation they are in and persecutes them. It happened with the Goblin Wars that you will learn about in the 6th year. It happened in Salem. It happened with Grindelwald, and Hitler, and Lord Voldemort."

The class took an intake of breath at the last word.

"It is not my experience that muggles hate wizardkind. They are ignorant of it, which can be dangerous. Any time there is ignorance, there is the possibility of grossly misunderstanding facts and drawing nonsensical conclusions. It snowballs into biases and at its ugliest turns to hate. Which is an excellent way to conclude this lesson, I think. You are all here to rid yourself of ignorance of muggles so you can form your own informed opinions of them."

"For homework, please write at least one sheet of parchment on what you would like to learn in this class and what we should focus on. Include one question you have that you want to do a deep-dive into and thoroughly understand. It will be your project for the year. Thank you all."


	6. Chapter 6

Had some extra time. I really appreciate the reviews.

* * *

The start of term fell into a comfortable pattern. Each morning Jo would have breakfast with Minerva and Severus in the great hall. After breakfast, she would head to her first-floor office, and she would teach Muggle Studies to either her Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh-year students. She tried to hold office hours every day in the student's off hour so she would be available for their projects. After this, she would usually eat lunch in the Great Hall, peruse the library, and go for a run on the grounds. She found that her favorite trail went right by the lake. If Hagrid were around, she would stop in for tea after. Dinner with Minerva and Severus would follow. She liked her routine, but still wished for something more to do. She cursed herself for finding herself in a rut here of all places just shy of her second month.

She was pretty pleased with herself for assigning them all a semester-long project to research anything they wanted. At the end of the fall term, they were to turn in a research paper, lecture to their peers, and create a proposal for how wizardkind would benefit by incorporating what they had learned in their day to day lives.

So far, only the Ravenclaws had started the project. But she was interested in everything that the students had chosen. She smiled when Fred and George selected fireworks and muggle pranks as their topics, respectively. Percy Weasley was interested in muggle social interactions. She thought to herself that it would likely help him with his career in the Ministry. Other students chose topics like airplanes, medicine, and computers. She was delighted in each of her classes and was quickly becoming known as one of the more fun professors. Each day she would try to bring in a new muggle artifact and describe its purpose to them. She was frustrated when every muggle electronic she attempted to bring in died once it got to the castle. She wanted to show her students the internet, cell phones, smart watches, a car that would parallel park itself. She found that most students came to the class with the idea that Muggles were stupid and was trying to show them that while they had no magic, that they were ingenious at advancing science and technology to make up for each alleged shortcoming.

Her favorite homework assignment had been creating a list of common spells and instruments a witch or wizard might use in their day-to-day and having the students write in how a muggle would approach the same problem that the magical object or spell would solve. Even her more biased students were astounded to find that there was a tool for everything, even if it might not be as fast.

There was not much for her to do yet to accomplish changing the books she knew. Professor Dumbledore was absent from the school frequently to look for Horcruxes, but this went largely unquestioned by the Ministry of Magic and the school, as Fudge was still very dependent on Dumbledore's advice. She decided that much of the year would have to go on like normal. A full-grown mountain troll had to be allowed in for the Trio's friendship to flourish. Harry would have to suspect Professor Snape for him to be on the lookout for any wrongdoing that would push him into conquering Quirrel at the end of the year. He'd need to see the Mirror of Erised. Norbert needed to hatch and be rescued by Charlie, and the children would have to serve their detention in the Forbidden Forest. But she could help in little ways to make the castle's inhabitants more comfortable. She looked at her calendar and noting the date she walked to Professors Snape's office.

It was the early evening just after dinner, and she rapped at his door twice. "Enter." He drawled simply, not even looking up from his markings. "Miss Spinnet, you are early for detention, but if you think that will earn my leniency, you are quite wrong."

"Ah, well, in that case, I am very relieved not to be that student." She smiled at him and plopped herself into a chair by his desk.

"Professor Harper!" He exclaimed in a surprised tone.

"Hi, Professor Snape. I was wondering if I could steal a moment of your - YELCH. What's that?" She asked, pointing to the corner of his desk where some creature, or maybe some parts of a beast, was bottled.

"Bat spleens." He answered bemusedly. "I do not think that you would make an accomplished potions mistress with reactions like that. They are used in the Second Year's Swelling potions tomorrow."

"Oh well, they do look quite disgusting. Actually, a little off topic, I suppose. What would happen if I tried to brew a potion? Could it work?" Jo asked inquisitively with a note of hopefulness in her query. Severus surveyed her for a moment trying to discern why she asked the question. Was it merely pure curiosity?

"Peculiar question. You would be unable because there is always a magical component to potions making. While I inform my students that there is no foolish wand-waving in my class, there comes a point in every potion where the maker's magic is infused into the mixture. The course is more than just a cooking class. If a Muggle picked up a magic wand and attempted on their own, the answer would probably be something accidental... possibly quite violent. Because wands are merely a vehicle, a vessel for what lies inside the person."

Jo looked pensive and nodded, feeling a bit let down. "Of course, that makes sense."

"What prompted you to ask?"

"I don't know, really. Just wanted to be more a part of this world, I suppose. I've planned my lectures for the year. When the Headmaster gets back, I'd like to ask permission for a field trip. There's not too much to do this year on the other front, you know? Guess I should talk to Hagrid or Professor Sprout for more muggle-friendly studies to occupy my time. Potions just seemed the closest to what I did in the muggle world. I worked in a research lab." She answered dejectedly. He surveyed her for a moment, thinking.

"If you would like, you may assist me when I brew potions for the infirmary." The offer looked like it surprised Severus as he said it.

"I would love to! Professor Snape that is very generous-" before she could continue showering him in praise, he cut her off.

"Meet in my office, Friday the 1st at 7 pm. Now, what was the reason you originally came to my office?"

"Oh! Of course. Tomorrow you will be going to the third-floor corridor to run Quirrel off from trying to get in. He's going to let a mountain troll into the castle as a diversion. In the books, you are injured by Fluffy. Not gravely or anything-" She said, seeing Severus' face. "It's mildly important to the plot, so I will need you to act injured, but I don't see any reason why you actually need to get hurt. Can you magic some armor on your leg or something?"

Severus paused and considered this information. "It is odd to hear that with so little emotion. You just told me of a plot of one of the teachers to try and steal the Sorcerer's Stone. That a mountain troll would be let into the castle with hundreds of students and knowledge that a three-headed dog would harm me somehow as if this was a common occurrence."

"Not common, but for me, it's not surprising. Besides, it shouldn't be that surprising to you. I told you in Dumbledore's office that Quirrel would attempt to steal the stone. It needs to happen. It's too important to change."

"You did tell me." Severus acknowledged. "It's just different to hear it now so cavalierly."

"Well, sorry about that. I've never been particularly good with words and like to cut to the chase."

"I shudder to think what house you would be sorted into."

Jo smiled.

"Supposedly Ravenclaw... there was one website written by the author that sorted us muggles." Severus looked incredulous. "It would be pretty neat to try it, but I think with Angus Buchanon's disaster trying to be sorted as a Squib I would rather not try."

Getting back on track, she looked at him thoughtfully. "During the feast, you're going to head Quirrell off and go into the room on the third-floor corridor. Please be careful." As she said this, she put her hand on his and Severus stiffened considerably but did not react otherwise. "Last time the dog injured your leg, and it seemed bad. When you go to the girl's bathroom afterward, fake a limp. Try and fake it for at least a week."

There was a knock at the door to Snape's office. Jo smiled, released his hand, and rose from her chair to leave. "Enjoy your detention, Professor Snape."

To not arise suspicions as to why a teacher would not help catch a mountain troll, Jo decided it was best to skip the Halloween Feast. She passed a group of first-year students goofing off and noticed Draco Malfoy sitting outside working on his homework. She knew that he must be a studious child since his marks were always excellent, if not quite up to Hermione's work. A pair of Gryffindor's knocked into the small blond boy and got ink to spill all over his bag and the homework he had been working on. He looked too shocked to say anything.

"15 points from Gryffindor. No roughhousing in the halls. You two are 6th year's are you not?"

"Yes Professor Harper." They answered demurely.

"To earn 5 points back, please vanish the excess ink on Mr. Malfoys' homework. If you vanish anything he's written, you will serve your detention, recovering it for him. Do you agree?"

The students seemed stunned to be offered a way to earn points back after losing them and eagerly charmed the page so the extra ink was lifted from the page and the inkwell restored. She gave 5 points back to Gryffindor and turned to the young Slytherin.

"5 points to Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy, for being so studious and keeping calm." She smiled at him. Draco looked up at her, stunned. He was used to earning points from Professor Snape, but most other teachers seemed to play favorites with their own house.

"Thank you. Were you in Slytherin Professor Harper?" Draco asked.

She shook her head and smiled. "I was not. I didn't actually go to Hogwarts. I studied in the United States. Why do you ask?"

"It just that most professors stick to awarding points to their houses." He answered, honestly.

"Oh well. I hope that's not the case. I try to be fair about how I hand them out. Keeping a cool head in a trying situation is definitely worthy of points. And I was impressed that you are so dedicated to your coursework on such a nice day. Hopefully, you'll be taking my class when you're offered in a couple of years."

"What class do you teach?"

"Muggle Studies." She supplied.

"I can't take that!" He exclaimed.

"Why on earth not? If more Slytherins did, I would be able to award you all more points."

"Look, it must be different in America, but here, we value our traditions. We don't waste time learning about an inferior species just because they look like us."

She looked at him thoughtfully and pulled a pen from her robe.

"Mr. Malfoy, I am very sorry you feel that way. I think that there is much we can learn from others. For instance, did you know that muggles would think that your quill and inkwell is archaic? They've invented this tool instead. It is disposable; it does not need refilling; it does not spill; it writes just as nicely as a quill. Why don't you take it and try it for a week and then find me in my office? It's on the first floor. If you show me notes from a lecture or homework you've completed in pen, I will award you more points for openness to new ideas. If you hate it, I encourage you to tell me why and convince me that quills are superior. Deal?" She handed Draco a beautiful fountain pen. Draco looked at the pen curiously. His drive to win points for his house and prove himself right was strong. He nodded, "Deal," he said and left.

To avoid the feast, Jo sat in her quarters with Gandhi and Godzilla, curled up on a small couch in front of the fire reading Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger. She was very touched that Professor Snape had offered to let her help with her potion making. She hadn't found that she had made friends with her colleagues as readily as she had hoped. Minerva would always speak to her during mealtimes, but she was very professional and tended to only talk about the school, classes, and now that Quidditch season was approaching, Gryffindor's chances at winning the cup. Hagrid proved a natural friendship to make, but his varying schedule meant that she did not see him very frequently. Though she would not call her relationship with Severus a friendship, they were indeed friendly. She found herself eager to spend more time with him and was worryingly looking at the clock from time to time. Wondering if the feast had been interrupted yet if the troll had cornered Hermione if Severus had stopped Quirrell.

Three hours after the Feast's start she decided to set out into the deserted corridor to the dungeons. She found her way to Severus' office and rapt at the door quietly. She felt a little foolish now that she had gone there. It was well after lessons, and she heard no sound from the other side of the door. She was worried that he might have been hurt. Maybe she should check the infirmary. She turned and began walking in the hall once more. The only sound was her hurried steps as she tried to race to the third floor. In her rush, she found herself absurdly stuck in a trip step on one of the staircases.

She was at a complete loss of what to do. Her foot was thoroughly stuck, and no effort she made to get unstuck freed her. A group of Slytherins approached.

"You there!" She called out to them. "Isn't it after hours? Why are you lot roaming the corridors?"

A haughty 7th year stared at her with disdain. "What's it to you?"

"What's it to me, Professor Harper. And your name?" She corrected.

At this, the boy laughed airly to his friends. "Rowe. Of course. And what an excellent example of Hogwarts Professors you must be to be stuck on a staircase. Is your class so immersive in that filth that you don't even take your wand with you?"

The group of Slytherin's sneered menacingly. Jo spotted a young Draco Malfoy in the group trying to look important and intimidating among his older classmates. Jo retrieved her fake wand and held it up.

"Let's see, that will be 20 points from Slytherin for being out after curfew and another 10 points from Slytherin for lack of respect. Back to your house at once."

A girl mocked her now. "You know, I don't think she can get out. Marcus this could be fun."

For the first time since coming to Hogwarts, Jo felt nervous. She wiggled her foot furiously, trying to free it, but to no avail. In the books, someone always helped Neville or Harry if they got stuck, but she doubted the Slytherins approaching her wanted to help. Trying to sound as stern as possible she tried once more to get them back to their dorms.

"I have already instructed you to go back to your house. Failure to do so will result in 5 points from each of you for every minute you don't follow this direction each."

The sneering 7th-year boy was to her now, and he pushed her so that she fell painfully down on to the stairs, her stuck foot still unmoving, and a crack pierced the quiet as her leg broke. Jo let out a painful cry and dropped her wand, so it fell out of reach. The other Slytherins now looked nervous and uncomfortable, many backing up and beginning to disperse. The antagonistic 7th-year boy, the younger pig-snouted girl, remained. Twenty feet from the action Draco stood with Crabbe and Goyle flanking him. He was apparently torn between leaving and saying something. The other two just stood there, dumbly. The commotion got the attention of Peeves.

"Naughty snakes out of bed. What are the Slyvies up to?" The Peeves let out a roar. "ATTACK ON A TEACHER" and flew through the halls announcing it every few feet."

"Detention Mr. Rowe" She managed to say between steadying breaths. The commotion seems to attract more footsteps. Rowe's wand was pointed at her face when he was blown backward off the staircase with a bolt of red light. The girl next to him, screamed. The Slytherin first year boys stayed motionless.

"What is going on here?" Hissed Severus in a rage. "Miss Newton, explain."

"Umm. We were just going for a walk. We saw Professor Harper stuck and tried to help, but she fell down." She finished lamely.

Snape's black eyes darted around his wand still raised, and Mr. Rowe not stirring.

"You are lying. Take him," he pointed to the lump at the bottom of the stairs "to the hospital wing. You both will serve detention once a week until the end of the term."

"Professor, it was an accident," she protested.

"Every week till the end of next term. NOW GO." He bellowed, and she scampered off, dragging the boy along with her as best she could.

"Professor Snape, I can't get up," Jo said quietly. He hurried to her side and freed her leg. At that moment, Draco finally left his vigil by the wall. He was walking towards her now with his hand held out.

"Professor, your wand." He held the fake wand out to her nervously.

"Were you just watching? Didn't think to summon your head of house or help?" Snape bit at him.

"Professor Snape, that's enough. I already docked points for the group being out past curfew. Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Crabbe, and Mr. Goyle, I'm sure were just unsure what to do. It can be intimidating to know something is wrong, but not know how to help." She accepted the wand from Draco. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. You best be getting back to your house. Don't forget about our deal. I'm looking forward to hearing your insight."

The boys left quickly, not wanting to be around Snape, and she left out a shudder of pain. She had been trying so hard to look unaffected by the situation in front of the children, but tears were threatening to fall now.

"I don't know what you think you were doing walking the halls so late." Snape started to lecture her with venom in his voice.

"Stop." She said forcefully. "It has been a hard night. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Can you fix my leg? It really hurts." At this admission, she began to cry in earnest now. The adrenaline had stopped pulsing through her veins, leaving her with sharp, shooting pains.

Severus looked at her and pointed his wand at her. He conjured a floating magical stretcher beneath her. He levitated it and began walking with her floating back towards the dungeons.

"Where are we going? The infirmary is upstairs?" She asked between sobs.

"My quarters are closer, and I have the potions on hand." When they got to the door of his office, he performed a spell to remove the ward on the door and floated her inside. He grabbed a few vials and then stood before a blank wall and muttered an incantation. A door appeared, and he directed her inside. He lowered the stretcher beside the fireplace and began opening bottles. Jo sat up expectantly.

"Roll your robe up so I can see the fracture." Severus directed her emotionless. Jo did as she was told with silent tears still falling down her cheeks. A huff escaped his lips, and he took a small squat black bottle and unscrewed the topper. Inside was a salve. His long fingers scooped up a sizeable portion of, and he rubbed it carefully on her leg. Immediately the pain subsided. He examined her leg further in a very clinical manner. Jo chastised herself for being grateful that she remembered to shave her legs that morning. Not the time to be vain, she thought.

He stood silently and went back to the table, grabbing three other potions. He busied himself, putting a kettle on the fire as well.

"Drink these in succession." He said, handing her two small vials. She took them readily. "A bone mending potion and a strengthening potion." He said, answering her unasked question.

"Thank you," Jo said, meekly the shock of being attacked was dawning on her now that the physical pain had lessened. Severus nodded.

"I will add a calming draught to the tea." He pointed at the teapot in the fireplace. "You should not have been out so late."

"I know that now. I'm sorry, Severus. I didn't think this would happen. They're kids. I don't understand. This never happened in the books." She added. He looked deep into her eyes, and she stared back unblinking, trusting him. He looked away, poured her tea when the kettle hissed, and added the calming draught.

"Drink this." He directed. "In my experience, Muggle Studies Professors have never been well-respected. Quirrell, before he left for Albania, was the Muggle Studies professor and he was abysmal. The students did not respect him and began to act out. I had hoped that with a new professor, they would not try anything. I will think about ways to keep you safe within the castle. We cannot have you attacked again. It's a miracle they did not realize you are not a witch."

She sipped her tea and did not say anything.

"What were you talking with Malfoy about earlier? What deal?" Snape asked.

She explained about his homework being ruined when the Gryffindor boys bumped him. Told him about the points she gave Malfoy and asking him to join her class and his response. How she thought that he as a brilliant student who didn't need to be marred by bias and bigotry that she felt the way to reach him was intellectual curiosity and frankly bribery with points.

"That is an interesting approach. I doubt the boy would take your class. He is from a very rigid pureblood family who would regard his attendance as nearly blasphemous."

"Just because he won't take the class doesn't mean he can't learn from me. I know him from the books. He has a heart. He just needs some help finding his way."

"Trying to save all the lost causes?" He asked, wryly.

"Of course." She replied, smiling wanly. For a flicker of a moment, emotion swept his eyes, but they quickly turned back to their black, impenetrable state. She sipped more tea and moved her injured leg stiffly. A twinge of pain coursed through her.

"What are you doing, you silly woman? Keep still. You need to give it time to heal." He scolded her gently with no heat in his tone.

"How am I to know how fast magic works." Jo laughed pleasantly and stifled a yawn. "I'm just getting tired. It was late when I went looking for you. How did it go by the way?"

"I headed Quirrell off without any trouble. I wore dragon-hide boots so the bite could not break through. Thank you for that tip." He paused. Thinking. "I think it would be best if you stayed here this evening. I would rather not levitate you through the castle in case someone is out of bed."

With a squish of his wand, the couch by his fireplace was transfigured into a twin bed with a simple black quilt.

He walked over to her spot on the floor, and awkwardly cleared his throat.

"Can I assist you to the bed. You'll be more comfortable." He said stiffly, awkwardly holding out his arm.

Jo smiled at his discomfort, nodded, and held her arms up towards him. "Thank you."

He positioned himself under her and scooped her up easily and gently placed her on the bed.

"Yes. Well. Okay then. I will be in the connected room. Just call out if you need anything."

"Thank you so much, Professor Snape. I am glad that you are okay. I wouldn't fancy being that close to Fluffy." She said, trying to break the tension in the room.

"I am also glad that you will be okay, Professor Harper." He nodded and left the room.


	7. Chapter 7

Jo awoke in the morning and stretched on the unfamiliar bed. She let out a small yelp of pain. Wincing, her body reflexively curled into a ball. Within moments there was a loud commotion in the other room. Jo instinctively tensed before the events of the prior night slowly returned to her. Severus, more unkempt than she had ever seen him entered the room. His should length hair tousled from sleep, his black nightshirt off by one button, but his eyes were piercing and alert.

"Are you well? What happened? I heard a cry of pain." He interrogated her intensely.

A small smile formed on her lips. "I'm sorry for the concern I caused. I'm fine, just woke up and moved without remembering I needed to be ginger."

"Fooling woman." He chided but without any real muster. He opened his mouth to say something else but was interrupted with a loud CRACK.

"Missus. I has been searching all over the castle for you." Tibby's doe-like eyes fell on Jo's leg. "Yous hurt! I've failed my task. Tibby will iron her ears for this."

"No! Tibby, I forbid you from ever punishing yourself. This was not your fault at all. You can't be by my side at all times. Don't blame yourself. You know what would be just the biggest help, though? Maybe you could get me a spot of coffee and some toast. That would make me feel a lot better. Professor Snape, would you like some?"

His face was inscrutable, but he nodded to the house-elf, who agreed emphatically to the task and exited with a pop. "Not many interact with elves the way you have."

"Perhaps more should?" Jo responded as Tibby was back with their small breakfast, bowed low, and disappeared once more.

"Indeed." His eyes shifted to her leg. "Your injury seems to be mended, but you yelped this morning, does it still hurt? The potion dosage may need to be altered. Perhaps muggle blood requires more salamander blood in the first stage of brewing."

Jo looked at him, perplexed. He seemed to have been asking her a question but then began talking to himself as if she was an exciting potions conundrum.

"No clue about the blood, but it is a bit twingey still if I move suddenly." She slowly sat up and gingerly put her injured on the floor. To her great relief, she felt no pain. Severus was surveying her carefully and then instructed, "Attempt to stand."

She cautiously stood and found that she was able. "My leg feels sore, but it's bearable." He nodded and abruptly left the room. She stood in his livingroom bemused. She was more alert now than she had been last night and took in her surroundings. The room looked greyscale. The walls were dark, the floor was black quartz, even outside seemed to match the dreary interior with ominous storm clouds just outside. The only color in the room came from the spines of the many books that lined the shelves on the floor to ceiling bookshelves that spanned one wall. She shuffled ever so carefully to get a peek at the titles. They were organized meticulously by genre. Shelves and shelves dedicated to potions and ingredients. Books on charms, transfiguration, arithmancy and other subjects taught at Hogwarts. She was surprised to see classical muggle fiction. Books with grizzly names like Magical Means of Torture graced a section entirely dedicated to what looked like the Dark Arts. She walked over to these books enraptured by her own curiosity.

Severus reentered the room and looked accusatorily at her. "I did not bring you here to invade my privacy." He said with a deadly calm. "Drink this a get out of my sight." He thrust a small vial into her hands and cast a nonverbal spell to throw open the door leading to the corridor.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything-" She tried.

"OUT!" He roared.

The next few days were hard for Jo. Severus was refusing to speak with her. Dumbledore had overruled Severus' punishment for Rowe and had expelled the boy. Despite this, however, he deemed it necessary for Jo's safety to restrict her movements around the castle. She was no longer allowed to walk on the grounds alone, wander the castle after dinner or before breakfast. She was encouraged to be accompanied during the day. But Jo couldn't be such an imposition to her only friends in the castle. Her classroom and quarters were now warded such that if a threat were directed at her, the headmaster would be immediately alerted. As a result, she hardly ventured out from these rooms.

Jo was sitting at her desk in her empty classroom. Her red fountain pen scratching at student's homework making corrections and praising insights the students had made on their assignment on muggle phones. She smiled bemusedly as she corrected the spelling of "Eyefone" on Angelina's work. A knock on the door startled her slightly, and she looked up to the source of the interruption.

"Professor Harper?" Draco Malfoy was standing at the entrance uncertain.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. Come in, please." She said with a reassuring smile. He walked into the room and sat at the chair by her desk that she was motioning him to.

"Would you like a cookie? I baked them myself." She offered, pointing to the plate on her desk. Draco took one politely.

"Why did you not ask the house-elves?" He inquired curiously.

"I needed something to do and my grandmother taught me this recipe. It's relaxing."

"Was she a mudbl-gleborn." Draco fumbled the sentence, and Jo looked at him seriously but did not comment on his word choice.

"My family was not wealthy enough to have a house-elf, but we got by making food ourselves just fine." She dodged the question with a true if misleading answer. "What brings you by this afternoon, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco rummaged through his bookbag and produced the fountain pen she had given him the prior week and a long piece of parchment. "I finished your assignment."

Jo beamed at him. "Would you mind if I read this here with you? I would love to discuss your experience."

Draco shrugged. "Sure." and started to eat his cookie while she read.

The start of his essay was heavily biased against the writing instrument. He took issue with everything from the inferior tip, the quality of the ink, and the wood used for the shaft. The essay was a stream of consciousness and she felt a bubble of success as she noted a switch in his thinking as he continued using the pen. He noted that it did write smoothly and it was rather nice to not have to dip it in an ink well. He wondered how it was refilled. He appreciated the cap on the pen. He found it useful when his fellow Slytherins entered the common room and he went to quickly put away the parchment and implement. In his concluding statement, he was torn. The pen did not have the elegance of the quill, but it appeared more practical.

"You bring up excellent points Mr. Malfoy. I am curious about what improvements you would suggest if you were charged with the task."

He pondered the question. "I think the feather is timeless and sophisticated. That should be incorporated into the design. The cap should be smaller and nearly unnoticeable."

"It sounds like you are describing a pen that imitates the beauty of the quill but keeps it's function unchanged."

"That sounds about right."

"Am I going to be able to pry a compliment out of you for the muggles' ingenuity to invent this writing implement?" She chortled at him. He returned the smile.

"Aww come on Professor." He tried, but she just smiled. "Fine they did well here, but they're rubbish when it comes to refinement."

"That's a pity," she said as she opened the top drawer of her desk and withdrew a golden eagle feather fountain pen with a cap. "I suppose you'd have no interest in this pen then?"

Draco went slightly slackjawed at the pen. Jo felt victorious. She had custom-ordered the pen the day she set the assignment hoping for this moment.

"I mean. It would be rude not to accept a gracious gift." He supplied.

"Well, we can't have that." She handed over the pen. "My only condition is that if your classmates inquire about the pen, that you tell them what you've learned about quills and fountain pens." He hesitated for just a moment and nodded, taking the gift.

"Oh! And I nearly forgot. Twenty points to Slytherin for keeping an open mind and basing your opinions on first-hand experience instead of bias,"

Draco nodded gratefully and made his way towards the door, "Thank you, Professor Harper. I also wanted to apologize for the other night." He did not meet her eyes as he said the last sentence.

"I meant what I said. I know it is hard to do the right thing, especially when your peers and role models aren't. I hope that with age and this experience, you'll be better prepared for the next time you're tested."

He seemed to ponder this and nodded thoughtfully before exiting her office.

Jo's spirits were lifted after this encounter with Draco and she felt much less sullen. Sure her movements were very limited and Severus was extremely upset with her, but at least she could still make a difference. She chided herself for feeling self-pity that week. Her eyes landed on her desk calendar, the first quidditch game of the season was in just two days. Determined to put herself in a better mood she began a letter to Hagrid asking if she could join him in watching the game. Excitement bubbled in her stomach as she thought that this would be her first time interacting with Hermione and Ron, too, if everything worked out.


	8. Chapter 8

Hi All, trying to be good and update this story. I have it mapped out and know where I would like to take it now. Nothing like a Stay at Home order amid a pandemic to spark the creative juices. Hope you all are staying well. Please read/review. It's great to get feedback.

Jo woke up to a chilly, ice gray November day where frost covered the school grounds. Peering out her window, she saw Hagrid defrosting frozen broomsticks in his moleskin coat. It was the day of the Quidditch match and Jo found herself exciting. She had never much enjoyed reading about the Quidditch matches in the series and she wasn't a big sports fan overall, but the excitement among the students was infectious.

She headed to the Great Hall and it seemed like the house-elves had outdone themselves: fried sausages, heaps of fluffy eggs, verdant greens, and stacks of pancakes. There was a raucous feel to the hall as students were chattering about the game. She had a mission though. After more than a week of not speaking, she desperately needed to give Severus a heads up for what was to come. She felt a pit in her stomach when she noted that he was not at breakfast. What if she had changed this history already and he did not show up? Worst case: Harry would fall off his broom. Quirrell might succeed in his quest. Best case: Harry would be okay, but his confidence as a Seeker shaken and that was such an important part of him. Who knows what would change. It was nearing 11 and she still did not see Severus. She noticed the Headmaster exiting the hall and walked as quickly as she could towards him without causing a scene.

"Professor Dumbledore, might I a word. It's quite urgent." She called when she was a few feet away. He nodded knowingly and they walked to a quiet corridor, which was easy with all the students filing out to go to the stands.

"Sir, Professor Snape needs to be at this game, but I can't seem to find him. I need to have a word with him if possible too."

"That's peculiar. Certainly, you could have told him before this? I was under the impression that Severus was, if not friendly, then, tolerant of your existence." Dumbledore pondered aloud.

"He was. I overstepped a boundary and he is upset with me. Do you know where he is?" She felt that Dumbledore was stalling, and she really wanted to hurry this up.

At that moment, Hagrid walked over.

"Professor Harper! How are ye? Thought we were headin to the match together." He called loudly.

"We are, Hagrid. I just need to speak with Professor Snape first. I was asking Professor Dumbledore if he had seen him." She felt like this was an unfortunate turn. She couldn't just stand here and chat she needed to warn Severus.

"Professor Snape?" Hagrid's voice boomed and filled the corridor. "What do you need to talk to him fer? Last minute Quidditch bet?" Hagrid smiled warmly.

She was about to answer, but a silky voice cut in.

"Is that it, Professor Harper? In addition to your other unsavory habits, do you also have a gambling affliction?"

"No. I just need a word in private." She pointed to an empty classroom. "Headmaster thank you. Hagrid, I'll meet you in the stands. Save me a seat huh?" Both tipped their heads and Severus and Jo walked into the empty classroom.

"So what exactly is so urgent?" Severus spit caustically.

 _He is really angry still._ She thought to herself.

"Quirrell will try and jinx Harry off his broom in the match. You are pretty successful at keeping him on by muttering a counter-jinx. However, some students will be worried that you are the one jinxing Harry and they are going to set fire to your robes. This breaks Quirrell's concentration entirely. It has to play out like this. I didn't want you to miss the match and I wanted to give you a heads up so you could cast a flame freezing charm. Please yelp when you feel the sensation when you're on fire. It'll help. I didn't want you to be injured." Jo said all of this really quickly. Her cheeks turning the faintest red as she finished her dialogue. "Come on, we better go. You sat opposite Hagrid in the stands and one row in front of Quirrell."

Severus merely nodded. They began to walk together, but his pace was so fast and since they weren't going to the same place, Jo didn't even attempt to keep up with his long strides. She found all the excitement had waned and felt dejected. She couldn't place why his approval was so important to her. She knew he was a git. She made her way to the stands and Hagrid waved eagerly to her.

"'Ello Professor Harper. Have ye met Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley? They're first years, so I wouldn't expect you to have met them in class." Hagrid questioned.

"I haven't had the pleasure. It's nice to meet both of you." Ron merely nodded intent on the game, but Hermione was excited to make a good impression with a new professor.

"What subject do you teach, Professor Harper?" Hermione asked sweetly.

"Muggle Studies. Won't be an option until your third year, I'm afraid. I hope you both take it. Ron, your brothers are in my class.

At that moment, Madam Hooch announced: "Mount your brooms, please".

The crowd was abuzz as fifteen brooms rose into the air. Lee Jordan was commentating and Professor McGonagall was chiding him as he complimented Angelina's appearance. Jo had a hard time following all the balls. It was such a fast-moving game. She found herself extremely grateful that Ron was explaining the game to Hermione and she was able to listen and piece it together.

Suddenly Harry dived. He had seen the snitch! Marcus Flint seemed to immediately foul him. _Slytherins_ Jo couldn't help but think. Her eyes surveyed the opposite side of the field until her eyes met Severus's. His eyebrow quirked as if he was disapproving of her silent comment. _From that far away? No way._ He silently mouthed "Way." Flustered, she broke eye contact and stared at her feet embarrassed. She wondered if that meant he wasn't so angry.

"Professor, you're missing the game. Spinnet is going to take the penalty shot." Ron sounded almost indignant that she was not watching intently.

"Sorry, just the heights." She lied and watched again. He nodded and returned his focus to the match. Spinnet scored.

Then she saw it. Harry's broom lurched. She gasped. He was zigzagging and lurching all over the pitch.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he lost control of his broom... But he can't have…."

People in the stands had noticed and were pointing worriedly. The whole crowd gasped as Harry was flung off his broom and was dangling by one hand.

Murmurs erupted from the crowd. Hermione looked in her binoculars around the stadium. Jo held her breath.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped. "Snape - Look." She thrust the binoculars into Ron's hands.

Amidst the chaos, Jo couldn't hear the rest of the conversation but began to breathe a little easier when Hemione left and Ron stood on the stands confused and worried for his friend.

"Come on Hermione." Ron whimpered. Jo's heart was beating hard against her chest, hoping against hope that this first real test of changing just enough about the books would work. Could Severus know, save Harry, and not be burned. Would it be too contrived? Would Hermione still knock over Quirrell? Would Harry be okay and catch the winning snitch?

After what felt like an eternity, Harry climbed on his broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron called. Jo sighed a breath of relief. Her eyes looked across the pitch once more. Quirrell was nowhere to be seen, but Severus was searching the stands for the student who caught his robes on fire. She didn't want to give Hermione away should Severus look her way, so she left her spot, whispering to Hagrid as she left.

"Too much excitement for me, Hagrid." As she made her way away from her seat she heard Lee call out.

"He got the snitch! Nearly swallowed it!"

As she walked to the castle in the brisk November air, she couldn't help but smile. It worked. Maybe this would all sort out after all. She wondered vaguely if she would always be this anxious and imagined it would be nearly impossible not to be. She loved all the characters. Though she knew that was the wrong word. These were people. People she felt as if she had known for years and cared so deeply for. She had to do this right.

With unsettling thoughts of what would happen should she be unsuccessful, Jo decided to extend her walk and go around the Black Lake to clear her head. She had never been a serious yogi, but she enjoyed the practice. She found a log by the lake, sat, closed her eyes and started her prana breathing techniques. She took a long, deep breath in. Six counts. Hold for six counts. _Whoosh_. Out her mouth for One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

"Professor Harper." A cool drawl broke her concentration and she nearly fell off her log she startled so badly.

"Professor Snape. I didn't expect to see you here. How's the leg?" Her eyes took in the scorch marks on his robes.

"The recommended spell worked adequately." He said. There was an uncomfortable silence. She did not quite meet his gaze.

"How about you don't use Legimens so I can't stop looking at this rock. It's really not interesting."

"I would like to know who set fire to my person." He said firmly.

"And I would like to win the lottery. But truly, you're not supposed to know. And they weren't doing it with any malice in their heart. Please don't force it from it me." She met his gaze at this, trusting that he wouldn't.

He started at her unblinkingly and then nodded. "Alright."

"Professor Snape?" He looked at her tacitly agreeing for her to go on. "I wanted to apologize for the other night. You've been very clear that you're a private individual and I was not right to pry. I am sorry. I deeply regret it and I miss our friendship"

Severus just stood there and looked towards the castle. He remained silent. Jo stared at the lake figuring that at least she tried. Many long moments passed. Tears were threatening to fall but she was successful in blinking them back. She did not want to cry in front of him. She wasn't even sure why she was tearing up. She had always cried easily. Her grandmother often gave her a hard time over it. It was the one thing they didn't agree on. Her grandmother urger her to grow a thicker skin, but she didn't mind being sensitive. Why was it a bad thing anyway? Her thoughts were running away from her as she stared that the waves not chancing a glance towards Severus.

Her breath hitched when she felt the log move slightly beneath her and realized that Severus had moved to sit beside her.

"What did you mean by our friendship?" His voice was quiet.

"What did I mean?" Jo was kind of baffled by the question. Had she misread him so badly? "I mean, I thought we were becoming friends. You know my big secret, we eat meals in the hall together. You've helped me settle here. Even saved me when I was attacked. You and I joke. Did I misread it? I'd like to be friends."

"Stop your rambling you sappy woman," Severus said, but not cruelly.

"You asked" she barked out a laugh. She looked at him with a half-smile, and extended her arm across her for him to shake: "Friends then?"

He looked at her hand amused "I've made more foolish choices I suppose," and shook her hand.

"My gods, your hands are freezing. Corpselike. We should go in."

"You really know how to compliment a woman, you know that? Every girl dreams of being called corpse-like and having men recoil at their touch."

A faint smile danced on his lips, "I aim to please."


End file.
